RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD got the better of Adrian Lewis in Wednesday’s clash of the titans at Alexandra Palace to reach the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship.
Van Barneveld – a four-time BDO world champion, who beat Phil Taylor in a classic final to win the 2007 PDC event – struggled badly on the doubles for much of his clash with Lewis and looked set to pay the penalty as he fell 3-2 down in sets.
However, the veteran Dutchman found his finishing form when it mattered and won the next two sets to triumph 4-3 and eliminate fifth seed Lewis, the champion of 2011 and 2012 and last year’s runner-up.
The result sets up the mouth-watering prospect of a last-eight meeting between Van Barneveld and his old foe Taylor, providing the 16-time world champion can get past Kim Huybrechts on Thursday evening.
Reigning champion Gary Anderson displayed spectacular form in the first three sets of his third-round victory over Benito van de Pas, averaging 110 and enjoying success with his first nine darts at doubles.
The Scot’s form dipped slightly thereafter and Van de Pas, who had maintained a high average of his own, got back to within a set after Anderson had missed a dart at double top for the match.
However, Anderson was still able to triumph 4-2 with a wonderful average of 107.68 – the highest of the tournament to date.
Third seed Peter Wright predictably thrashed Jamie Lewis 4-0 and there were no surprises in the afternoon session, either, as James Wade, Klaasen and Huybrechts – the respective sixth, 10th and 13th seeds – all recorded comfortable wins.
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